Gutter Bins

Pollutants Stopped From Flowing Into Waterways

There are over 20,000 storm drains  in Denver. This infrastructure exists to quickly and efficiently move water away from sidewalks and streets and to our waterways. Unfortunately, any trash or debris on the ground can get washed down a storm drain and end up in our rivers and creeks. The Greenway Foundation worked with Frog Creek Partners to pilot a potential solution to this problem with Gutter Bins.

In April 2018, Frog Creek Partners  installed 12 Gutter Bins for a pilot program around Denver — six around Park Avenue and I-25, five around Civic Center Park, and one in Larimer Square. Three more bins have been installed near different Denver Public Schools. During the course of the pilot, over 3,960 pounds of pollutants have been kept out of local waterways. Gutter Bins have also been installed at the Denver Zoo, in River Mile, Thornton, Parker, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Vail. There are now 45 bins collecting trash and debris in the state of Colorado.

Thank you to Frog Creek Partners for creating and installing such innovative devices. This program, in partnership with the City and County of Denver, will help create cleaner urban waterways for everyone in our region.

The pilot program has ended, but The Greenway Foundation is still dedicated to enhancing stormwater runoff by installing additional filtration devices in urban areas.